Folding door or the like

ABSTRACT

A folding door, partition or the like where each articulated panel is provided on its opposite side edges with a series of vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings interengageable with corresponding bead moldings of an adjacent panel by means of a snap-in locking movement; a semispheric seat provided on the upper edge of one bead molding of one panel receives the rounded head of a spring-biased plunger provided in and slidable in and out of the lower edge of the bead molding of the adjacent panel.

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Leclem 1 1 Feb. 3, 11972 [54] FOLDHNG DOOR OR THE LIKE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] Inventor: Lucien Leclerc, 79, 7ieme, Lllslet, Quebec, 621,910 12/1962 Belgium ..160/183 Canada 596,496 7/1959 Italy ..160/ l 83 2 1970 [22] Flled June Primary Examiner-Dennis L. Taylor [21] Appl. No.: 49,677 Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman 52 11s. c1 ..l60/183, 160/199, 16/176 [571 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl .JEUSd 1/06 A folding door, partition or the like where each articulated [58] Field of Search ..l60/l83, 229, 199, 206, I17, pane] is provided on its opposite i edges with a series of 160/ 1 213; 16/ 176 vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings interengageable with corresponding bead moldings of an adjacent panel by [56] References cued means of a snap-in locking movement; a semispheric seat pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided on the upper edge of one lJead molding of one panel receives the rounded head of a spring-biased plunger provided Hams 1 X in and slidable in and out of the lower edge of the mold. Steinbach 1 ing of the adjacent paneL 462,094 10/1891 Fowler .160/229 R 3,168,135 2/1965 Beifuss... ..160/l83 X 5Claims,7lDrawing Figures PATENTED FEB 8 4972 10 I54 @630 FIG 2 9 30 INVENTOR Lucien LECLERC M dag MM ATTORNEYJ FOLDING DOOR OR THE LIKE The present invention relates to a folding closure, and more particularly, to a structure with articulated folding elements used in the construction of doors, partitions or the like.

One object of the present invention is to provide a folding closure of improved character when compared with the structures presently in use which consist of a series of vertically elongated panels made of wood or of other suitable material and joined together by hinge members for their folding movement. The hinge members found on most of these structures, although efficient to provide a proper folding of the articulated panels, are inadequate when it comes to section the folding closure for panel repair or other reasons; it has been found that some hinge members break easily because of their frail consistency and that the arrangement of others is so complex that the assembly of the panels can only be effected by skilled persons or with aid of special tools.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an efficient and ornamental folding closure which is easy to install and to operate and where the number of parts serving for the interengagement of the panels and for their folding and swinging movement is reduced to a minimum whereby the folding closure can be easily and cheaply repaired when damaged.

A further advantage of the present invention, is that the folding closure may be installed without the removal of any parts such as hinge rods, springs, screws, etc; furthermore, the assembly of the panels is effected manually without the additional aid of other tools.

The present invention relates to a folding closure which comprises, in its broadest aspect, a series of panels arranged in edge-toedge relation, each panel having a front and a rear surface; a series of vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings secured along each opposite edge of the panels; each bead molding has opposed end surfaces one of which is provided with a cavity receiving a spring-actuated plunger having a head extremity slidable in and out of the cavity, the other end surface is provided with a recess in vertical alignment with the cavity such that the slidable head extremity of a plunger mounted in the bead molding of a first panel is received within the recess provided on the bead molding of an adjacent panel to be articulated with the first panel, the vertical spacing between the bead moldings of one panel being coordinated with the shape of the bead moldings of the adjacent panel to thereby provide a locking interengagement between adjacent panels.

Other advantages and details of the invention will be evident from the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the present invention:

FIG. I is front elevational view of a folding door embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing in-part the door closed;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the door opened and folded in an accordion fashion;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view of the interconnection of two bead moldings shown within the inset of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the interengagement of two adjacent bead moldings;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the assembly between panel and bead molding; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout, the folding door is shown generally by reference character 10 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In FIG. I, the door is shown closed between side jambs l2 and I4 and head jamb 16. The folding door 10 consists of a series of vertically elongated panels l8, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 26 which may be formed of wood or of other suitable material; panels 19-24 are identical in size and shape whereas panels 18 and 25 may be called halfpanels since they have a dimension half that of the other panels. These half panels serve to keep the folding door centered relative to the head jamb. Panel 26 is provided with handles 28 and 29 and varies in size to give to the folding door the proper width to suit the opening between the side jambs and to provide the door with the desired zigzag effect. Each panel may consist of two thin sheets of material fastened to a third thicker central sheet of material or it may consist of one single sheet of material, as shown in the drawings, having two opposite front and rear surfaces 18a and 18b, 19a and 19b 26a and 26b. Referring more particularly to one of these panels, one face 19a of panel 19 has a projecting edge 19C and the other face 1% has a projecting edge 19d oppositely disposed to edge 190. Both edges 1% and 19d define longitudinal L-shaped grooves 1% and 19f respectively, extending the entire length of the panel. In each groove are disposed a series of vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings 30 having a generally square comer section 32 to fit in the L-shaped groove l9e and a rounded end section 34 extending outside the groove (see FIG. 6). An adhesive sealant suitable to the material of the panels and of the bead moldings is used to cause the bonding of the section 32 with the L-shaped groove. In order to enhance the connection of the bead molding with the edge of the panel, a projecting edge 19g is provided on panel 19 to fit in a corresponding groove 33 between section 32 and section 34 of the bead molding.

Referring to FIG. 4, panel 24 has moldings 30A and 30B, fixed thereto at spaced-apart locations, intermeshing with moldings 30C and 30D, fixed at spaced-apart locations on panel 25. One of the edges of each bead molding, such as upper edge 36 of molding 3013 of panel 25 (see FIG. 5), is provided with a semispherical recess or seat 38; the lower edge 40 of molding 30A is provided with a cavity 42 which receives a spring-actuated plunging member 44 having a rounded extremity head 46 of such size that it can be dropped and received under the spring action in the semispherical recess 38. It can be envisaged that, similarly, the lower edge 40 of molding 30A could be provided with the semispherical recess while the upper edge 36 of the molding 30D would be pro vided with the cavity 42 along with its plunger.

In addition to provide the locking interengagement of the panels, the plungers 44 serve to provide the pivoting of one panel relative to its adjacent panel. It can therefore be seen that the vertical axis extending through a series of vertically aligned plungers on one side of one panel is coincident with the pivot axis of that panel.

In order to assemble a folding door having articulated panels in accordance with the present invention, a side panel 48 is screwed or otherwise secured to side jamb 14; this panel 48 has only one edge 50 provided with a longitudinal edge groove similar to those provided on panels 18 to 25. Panel 18 is then brought in lateral adjacency with edge 50 of panel 48 with its spaced-apart moldings 30 vis-a-vis the gaps between the moldings 30 of panel 48. By applying a relatively small manual pressure on panel 18 against panel 48, the plungers 44 of each molding are retracted in cavity 42, due to heads 46 contacting edges 52 (see FIG. 5) of each adjacent molding, and by further pushing on panel 18, heads 46 slide out of their respective cavities into recesses 38 thereby providing a sufficiently tight engagement between panels 48 and 18. The assembly of panels 19 to 26 are successively effected in a similar fashion. The engagement, however, is not so tight as to prevent subsequently, if desired, the dismantling of the articulated panels by a sharp pull on one of the panel, again causing the retracting of the plunger heads into their cavities. Once assembled, the panels are articulated about an axis passing through the centers of the vertically aligned plungers. Panels 19 to 24 have at the top thereof a screw or the like 54 (FIG. 7) extending through a traveler 56 slidable in a channel-shape track 58 provided in molding 60 secured to head jamb 16; this structure enables the opening and folding movement of the door. For doors having light panels, the screws 54 may be installed on every second panel.

It can be seen that a great advantage of the present invention is that it is easily assembled and disassembled without removing a single part or using the aid of a tool; by exerting the appropriate transverse push or pull, the panels are coupled or disengaged one by one by the retracting of members 44 in cavity 42 due to the peripheral edge of recess 38 or to edge 52 acting on head 46.

Although the invention has been discussed above only in relation to one specific form, persons skilled in the art will be aware that it may be refined and modified in various ways without departing from its scope. For example, the shape and the dimension of the bead moldings could be varied on either side of one panel to provide a different ornamentation to the door. It is therefore wished to have it understood that this invention is not limited in interpretation except by the terms of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a folding closure, a plurality of panels arranged in edge-to-edge relation, each panel having a front and a rear surface; a series of vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings secured along each opposite edge of each panel, each bead molding having vertically opposed end surfaces; one of said end surface having a cavity and a spring-actuated plunger received therein, said plunger having a head slidable in and out of said cavity; the other end surface of said bead molding having a recess in vertical alignment with said cavity such that the slidable head of one plunger mounted in the bead molding of a first panel is received within the recess on the bead molding of an adjacent panel to be articulated with said first panel; the vertical spacing between the bead moldings of one panel being coordinated with the shape of the bead moldings of an adjacent panel to thereby provide a locking interengagement between adjacent panels.

2. In a folding closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical spacing between the bead moldings is slightly greater than the length of the bead moldings.

3. In a folding closure as defined in claim 2 wherein said front and rear surfaces are provided at each of their opposite side edges with a groove and wherein each head molding has a first section having a configuration corresponding to the shape of said groove, said section being fixed in said groove by means of an adhesive sealant.

4. In a folding closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said bead molding is further provided with a rounded section integral with said first section, said recess and said cavity being provided in said rounded section.

5. In a folding closure as defined in claim 4 wherein the axis of the plungers along one edge of one panel is coincident with the pivot axis of said panel. 

1. In a folding closure, a plurality of panels arranged in edgeto-edge relation, each panel having a front and a rear surface; a series of vertically aligned spaced-apart bead moldings secured along each opposite edge of each panel, each bead molding having vertically opposed end surfaces; one of said end surface having a cavity and a spring-actuated plunger received therein, said plunger having a head slidable in and out of said cavity; the other end surface of said bead molding having a recess in vertical alignment with said cavity such that the slidable head of one plunger mounted in the bead molding of a first panel is received within the recess on the bead molding of an adjacent panel to be articulated with said first panel; the vertical spacing between the bead moldings of one panel being coordinated with the shape of the bead moldings of an adjacent panel to thereby provide a locking interengagement between adjacent panels.
 2. In a folding closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical spacing between the bead moldings is slightly greater than the length of the bead moldings.
 3. In a folding closure as defined in claim 2 wherein said front and rear surfaces are provided at each of their opposite side edges with a groove and wherein each bead molding has a first section having a configuration corresponding to the shape of said groove, said section being fixed in said groove by means of an adhesive sealant.
 4. In a folding closure as defined in claim 3 wherein said bead molding is further provided with a rounded sectiOn integral with said first section, said recess and said cavity being provided in said rounded section.
 5. In a folding closure as defined in claim 4 wherein the axis of the plungers along one edge of one panel is coincident with the pivot axis of said panel. 